Commercial and military radios often need to communicate or could benefit by having the capability of communicating with two or more radio networks, each of which is of a different type. One example of this need is found in the cellular telephone market where different modes of operation are presently available leading to the present need for so-called "dual mode" cellular phones. The dual modes refer to different waveforms. As used herein, "waveform" refers to functional transformation of information such as speech to a modulated rf carrier and encompasses the entire process of going from speech to antenna and/or vice versa. To operate over multipole waveforms has in the past required that various pieces of equipment be utilized. As new waveform technologies develop, existing equipment becomes unusable with such waveforms.
It is desirable to provide a radio which is useable as a generic radio platform with existing waveforms and yet to be developed waveforms.